Planning a Delightful Deck

With good design and craftsmanship, a deck can be an elegant addition to the home and landscape.

When deciding where to put a deck, you don't have to settle for the obvious. Although a deck is an ideal way to create a level outdoor area on a sloping site, you can also build a deck on level ground. In most cases, decks can be built just about anywhere you would build a patio.

A deck can create an entry area. It can be a small, intimate space adjoining a bedroom or study. Or it can follow the typical model and be joined to the back of the house, with access from either the kitchen or family room. You can also build a freestanding deck in a remote area of the garden.

An Economical Front Yard Landscape Plan

Surrounded by plants, a low deck blends into the landscape, seeming to hover just above the garden.

Wherever you decide to site your deck (or decks), be sure to think about the practical uses you want to achieve (like entertaining or private relaxing) rather than imagining some idealized situation that will likely never come to pass.

Garden for a Deck